It took a lifetime of training to develop the archery skill-set of a bowman, and even though they usually came from the common classes, they were admired and revered.
The crossbow was, in contrast, physically undemanding and simple enough to be operated by large numbers of soldiers and did not require the incredible skill of archery.
Because of this, large armies of mercenary crossbowmen started appearing, and that's what ultimately led to the eventual death of the heavily armored aristocratic knight.
In China, the armed forces still use crossbows at all unit levels, from their traffic police right up to the special force Snow Leopard Commando Unit of the People's Armed Police and the People's Liberation Army.
You might wonder why, with all the modern weaponry available today, they would choose the crossbow.
They justify their decision with the fact that a crossbow can stop a person carrying explosives without a risk of detonation. That makes sense!
Until as late as the 1980's, the Indian Navy's Marine Commando Force were equipped with crossbows with cyanide-tipped bolts, as an alternative to suppressed handguns.
